Steering wheel



July-17, 1-928. 1,677,616

' A. E.BRON$ON STEERING WHEEL I Filed Jan. 14, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l L jmfofl July 17, 1928.

A. E. BRONSQN STEERING WHEEL.

- Filed Jan. 14, 1925 2 Sheetg-Sfieet 2 15 Wind shield of the autoinobi'le,

30 with portions i Patented July 17, 1928.

ADELBEM 1E.1BRONSON,'0F CLEVELAND; oHIo, ASSIGN'OR TO THE nI LI. MANUFACTUR- zme comrnnx, on "orinvnmnn,

on'ro, A'CORPORATiON '01 on-1o.

STEERING WHEEL.

application filed 'January I'The present invention relates to a steering wheel more {particularly intended for automobiles.

Theobjet of the invention is, to provide 5 a steering wheel "which be moved from itslpositlon' when "in steering engagement with th steering post "to a vertical pos t on behind -the steering post, therebyafiording room toi ft'he driver to :get out of the seat 7 10 of the vehicle.

A "fit" her b j'ect isfto' provide a tilting steering wheel which notonly tilts backward but drops down behind th steering post sofas to be atleast in part below th 'further object is [to provide a steering wheel wh'ichwhen in back of the steering post will be "in osition snch thatrit will en; gagethe control segments customarily used oneertnintvp'es of carsgas Ford ears, thereic preventing the spinning f the steering 'w eel when in its :tilt'e'd position. v c

Retere'nee should be had tofth'e accompangying drawings forming a part of this speeiiioation, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation with portions in section of a steering wheel mounted upon a steering post; 2 is an elevation with 'ortion's in section of the steering wheel; i dis a bottom plan vie'w section of a part of the steering wheel; Fig. f4 is an elevation with portions in section showing apart of the steering wheel and its mounting.

I The invention asjlt 1s shown ls ap'plied to the steering post "of a Ford automobile, but

it will be understood thatxthe invention is not-ii'mitedin this particular.

t The steering of the automobile 'isindicated at 1, 'an'dat'Q is indicated a casing 40 which houses gearing used in the steering mechanism of 0rd automobiles. H V

At'the u per; or'tion of the casing '2 there cap '3 which may be mad'eiof; pressed metal, which cap is cylindrical-"in form, and

is adapted to fit over a cylindrical portion :at the top otthe steering post. This cap is provided with cut-out portions, as indi cated at which form intermediate spaced parts whichlare indicated at.5. The cap Basbefore stated, is mounted upon a -.cy1indric al partat the top of the steering wheeh and has a driving fit or is otherwise vsecured upon the steering vpostso that it can not be removed.

14, 1925. Serial means. i

- The cap member 3 is provided-with a central openingjthrough which projeots'a horn button, indicated atf6. The steering wheel proper comprises a rim member 7 with plurality of arms 8. These arms at their inner ends nre ee red in sockets of a spider In'embe'r 10,which spider'member has a cylindrical central portion which is adapt ed to engage with theou'ter surface of the cap member 3. The portion of the spider member 10 atthe "portions which ferm'tn-e sq kets 9 isndnpted t fit over the parts 5 whieh liejbetween the internredi ate de'pree stone 4,1 This construotion provide an interl'ooking engagement between'the ca memher 3 and the s'pi'der10 when the'two are in engagement, so that when :E'orce is applied to the rim of 'the' steering wheel 'for the purpose of turning it this movem'entis communicate edito the eapinember '3, which in turn cornmunicates the movement to the steering post. Secured to the cap member 3 is av leaf 11 of a double hinge nrember, a second leaf of the hinge 1 member being designated at 12. when the st ering wheel is in efigz e'ment "with thecap ember 3 the leaf '12 ields against theleaif 11 of the s ring, and when "the steering wheel pro er is -t'ilte'd the leaf member 12 may-turn abouti't's pivotal eonneetion withth'e l af 11. It shoul d'be' also noted that-the leaf 12 has a ivotal connec- 'tion with one of the arms of the steering wheel, as indicated at 13. double hinge arrangement not only permits the steering I wheel to be tilted, but also per its it todrop down behind the steering post when it is in 'tilted position, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. By virtue of this 'co'nstruction,:the steering "wheel dro s behind "the steerin post and is below'th'e windshieldof the entomobile. In this position the wheel will be in position to engage with the segment upon whichithe Control l'ev'er's for a Ford automobile are mounted, and b'ec'auseuof this engage'ment the wheel can vnot be turned when in I tilted position. except for a limited amount. 'In other words, the steering wheel can not make complete turning movement nrnnnd the steering post,

The leaf member hole or opening which imposition to be engaged b n in 15 which pinis mount ed u on an arm oi the ste rin wheel, so that when the leaf; 1 2 of the hinge 'is foldedthe 161 is provided with "a a pin will enter the hole 14: and so provide a stop member as well as a positioning member to hold the leaf 12 with respect to the arm of the steering wheel.

One of the arms 8 is provided with a latch mechanism which comprises a casing 16 in which is mounted a latch member 17 which is spring pressed by means of a spring 18. The latch member 17 has a depending finger engaging member 19 by which the latch 17 may be retracted.

Upon an appropriateportion of the cupshaped member 3 there is an extension 20 beneath which the latch member 17 is adapted to engage when the steering wheel is in steering position, or in other words, when the spider 10 is in engagement with the cup-shaped member 8. This arrangement obviously prevents the tilting of the steering wheel except at the time when the latch member 17 is withdrawn.

As before stated, the cup-shaped member 10 has a central opening 10 which is shown in Fig. 2, which passes over the horn button 6 when the steering wheel is moved into its steering position. It should also be noted that by the provision of the double hinge, the steering wheel may be moved to tilting position without engaging with the horn button, which would be quite difficult except for the double hinge construction which has been described.

In the particular wheel which is described the cup-shaped member 3 covers a portion which is secured to the steering wheel by means of a bolt 21, the bolt being operated by means of a member 22. When the bolt member 21 is withdrawn it disconnects the cup-shaped member 3, and the part with which it directly engages from the steering column, thus permitting the steering wheel to be disengaged, and where desired appropriate lock controlled mechanism may be provided, thereby serving to permit the steering wheel to be disengaged from driving relationship with the steering post when it is desired to lock the steering wheel against movement and use of the car by unauthorized persons. This, however, forms no part of the present invention, and is merely incidentally mentioned.

The cup-shaped member 3 as well as the spider 10 may be formed of pressed metal, so that the construction provided is light and may be manufactured at low cost,. at the same time providing a tilting wheel with all the desired qualifications of such a wheel.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A steering wheel construction comprising a member which is adapted to be secured to a steering post, as steering wheel having a rim and spokes, a member to which the inner ends of the spokes are connected, said member being adapted to fit over a portion of the first mentioned member, a hinge memher having a portion thereof secured to the first mentioned member, and anotherportion thereof pivotally connected with the'steering wheel, said hinge members folding into engagen'ient with each other when the steer,- ing wheel is in operative steering position.

2. A steering wheel construction comprising a member adapted to be secured to a steering post said member being provided with a plurality of'radially extending arms, a steering wheel comprising a rim and spokes, a member connecting the inner ends of the spokes, said member beingfadapted to engage with the first mentioned member, said second member having inwardly extending partsformed to engage with the said radially extending arms to form a locking connection with the first mentioned member, and a hinge having a link thereof secured to the first mentioned member and having another link thereof pivotally connected with the steering wheel.

3. In a steering wheel construction comprising'a member adapted to be secured to a steering post, a'steering wheel having a rim and spokes, a member connecting the inner ends of the spokes, said member having acentral opening adapted to fit over said first member, the first mentionedmember and the second mentioned member having interengaging portions forming a' locking connection between the two when the same are in engagement, a hinge having a link portion mounted upon the first mentioned member, said hinge having another link portion which is pivot-ally connected with the steering wheel. i

4. A steering wheel construction comprising a member adapted to be mounted upon a steering post, a steering wheel having a rim and arms, a member connecting the inner ends of the arms, a hinge having a. part thereof secured to the first mentioned member, having a second par-t thereof pivotally connected with the steering wheel,

the second mentioned part of the hinge being provided with an opening adjacent its pivotal connection with the steering wheel,

a projecting member carried by the steering ing a member adapted to be mounted upon a steering post, said member being provided with radially extending arms, a steering wheel having a rim and spokes,a member connectingthe inner ends of the spokes, said member having inwardly/extending portions formed to engage with the arms on the first mentioned member when the two are brought into engagement'and the steering wheel is in steering position thereby forming, a locking connection between the first and second latch member carried by the steering wheel, members, a hinge having a link portion and meanson the first mentioned member thereof secured to the first mentioned co-opera'tive with the latch to hold the steer- 10 member, said hinge having another link poring Wheel in steering osition.

- 'tion which is pivotally connected with the In testimony whereo ,Ihereunto aflix my 7 steering wheel whereby the same may be tiltsignature. ed and dropped behind a steering post, a ADELBERT E. BRONSON. 

